5. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #4

>Or Shimakaze. Or Amatsukaze. Or Tokitsukaze. There's quite a lot of >them in that family.

You have to love it. Yukikaze and Shimakaze came first, then Amatsukaze ended up resembling the latter because her namesake tested the turbine meant for Zekamashi, then they added Tokitsukaze who is basically a combination of Yukikaze and Amatsukaze with some dog traits mixed in.

--------------------------CdrMike, Overwatch Reject

"You know, the world could always use more heroes." - Tracer, Overwatch

Of course... cause, rigged or not, BIG GUNS. The one thing I do like, though, is how Yamato is better treated overall in the SW universe compared to RL and even K-Coll... Though with their change to the Battle of Midway she does get her crowning moment of Awesome that she was denined in real life.

Of COURSE you wernt expecting it!No One expects the FANNISH INQUISITION!RCW# 86

11. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #10

>>"Admiral... everyone is staring at us-poi." >>>>"Looks that way. Well, let's assess, shall we? Do you think that's >>because of A, the Exhibitionist-class destroyer; B, Archer >>Priestess; C, Pirate Schoolgirl; or - no, it's Yamato, isn't it? It's >>all Yamato." >>>>Of course... cause, rigged or not, BIG GUNS. The one thing I do like, >though, is how Yamato is better treated overall in the SW universe >compared to RL and even K-Coll... Though with their change to the >Battle of Midway she does get her crowning moment of Awesome that she >was denined in real life.

And now I'm thinking of the OTHER Yamato with a mental model. I would assume she looks like a younger version of Yuki Mori...

12. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #0

Oh yeah, I never explained after Cantata came out—the setting I had in my head when these lines originally got written was the interstellar departure lounge at Ninoy Aquino International Aerospaceport in Manila. The joke in the studio during construction was that the simplest way of getting offworld would be to hammerspace the ships, get Ōyodo and Akashi to forge some docs, and just catch Flight 1446 to Mega Tokyo, then switch IDs and make the connecting flight to New Avalon. Surely no one would notice. After all, no one in that crew would stand out at all on a busy spaceport concourse. Except the skinny blonde in hardly any clothes. Or the kyūdō shrine maiden. Or the eyepatched school delinquent with the sword. Or the seven-foot-tall girl with the umbrella. Or well OK this isn't gonna work we need a new plan.

13. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #12

*snnnrk*

Yeah, I've always been inordinately amused by the design sensibilities of the Arpeggio creators, namely that the ships would -know- about human culture, but only vicariously, not through personal experience. Their attempts at dressing themselves and acting normal are a big part of the comedy relief in the show (Haruna annoyed me but that whole coat on-coat off skit is exactly what I'm talking about) and also show, without having to tell, a lot about their mental state.

KanColle, of course, had a very different standard when it came to character designs, not least of which because they were done by many different people. But they still fit into that narrative amazingly well.

That said, obviously some people, like Yamato, are beginning to adjust with someone around who can tell them what works and what doesn't. =)

------ Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

14. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #13

>Yeah, I've always been inordinately amused by the design sensibilities >of the Arpeggio creators, namely that the ships would -know- >about human culture, but only vicariously, not through personal >experience.

Now that you've said that, I'm particularly thinking of the scene where Takao goes to a bookstore to find out what a "captain" is. And Hyūga's silently referenced collection of Iona merch, which is ever-so-slightly fourth-wall into the bargain. :)

>Their attempts at dressing themselves and acting normal >are a big part of the comedy relief in the show (Haruna annoyed me but >that whole coat on-coat off skit is exactly what I'm talking about) >and also show, without having to tell, a lot about their mental state.

I seem to remember a bit in the Awkward Dinner Party episode where Hyūga (who, if memory serves, spends pretty much the entire episode trolling Kongō) remarks on Kongō's personal style choices, and Kongō basically snaps back that the algorithm just dressed her that way and furthermore shut up. :)

>KanColle, of course, had a very different standard when it came >to character designs, not least of which because they were done by >many different people. But they still fit into that narrative >amazingly well. >>That said, obviously some people, like Yamato, are beginning to adjust >with someone around who can tell them what works and what doesn't. =)

One of the interesting things that's emerging as we kick stuff around for the next part of the Fleet Record is that, at least in some cases, there are explanations for some of the things Corwin finds mysterious about the fleet, such as Yamato's peculiar fitment for and comprehension of concepts of hospitality, and Shimakaze's clothes. The rationale behind either one is not readily apparent to the observer, but they both have very specific reasons.

15. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #14

>Now that you've said that, I'm particularly thinking of the scene >where Takao goes to a bookstore to find out what a "captain" is. And >Hyūga's silently referenced collection of Iona merch, which is >ever-so-slightly fourth-wall into the bargain. :)

Ohh, I forgot about Hyuuga's Iona shrine! And, yes, a lot of what I was referring to is done through Takao. Her tsundere personality is played for laughs, of course, just like Hyuuga's obsession (which I'm sure would be yandere if the show's tone were darker) but really, she didn't have that much to do with the plot after she was sunk. The show isn't really about giant mecha combat so much as it is about newly fledged sentients feeling their way through their first real glimpse of humanity.

(paraphrasing) "You're not helping." "It's sweet of you to assume that was my goal."

>One of the interesting things that's emerging as we kick stuff around >for the next part of the Fleet Record is that, at least in some cases, >there are explanations for some of the things Corwin finds mysterious >about the fleet, such as Yamato's peculiar fitment for and >comprehension of concepts of hospitality, and Shimakaze's clothes. >The rationale behind either one is not readily apparent to the >observer, but they both have very specific reasons.

This is a great example of clever writing and character designs coming together. You have both IC (The character is dressing herself how she -thinks- is cool while still working in society, and most are only getting it half right) and OOC (Character design elements reference facts about the ships in question, such as Yamato's height) elements, and when both come together it has noticeable impact. There's some muddling through because the Arpeggio and KanColle character designs aren't exactly analogous, but some still manage it beautifully, like Tenryu. Some designs, like the DesDiv6 girls, aren't as clever, I don't think, but they're not -bad- by any means. Just not as inspired.

As for personality, you've already been matching the scant information available into excellent new personality development as the characters have interaction with people who know better how to behave in society. Of course, you've had a hell of a lot of practice at this, and I'm enjoying the result immensely.

16. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #15

>[Takao's] tsundere personality is >played for laughs, of course, just like Hyuuga's obsession (which I'm >sure would be yandere if the show's tone were darker) but really, she >didn't have that much to do with the plot after she was sunk.

The funniest scene she's in is after that, though, when Haruna blandly advises her to "go toward the light."

>The show >isn't really about giant mecha combat so much as it is about newly >fledged sentients feeling their way through their first real glimpse >of humanity.

And, in at least one case, messing it up completely. :)

Amusingly enough (and I'm sure I've said this before), Takao is probably the least daft member of the Fog we see in the anime. Hyūga is the crazy cat lady, Iona has that flat affect going on, her sisters' are even flatter, Haruna has a codependent relationship with a garment, Kirishima was pretty much a raving lunatic before she became a stuffed toy, and Kongō has the mother of all psychotic episodes. Compared to all of that, Takao is pretty much normal. She's just horny and confused, and really, who isn't at that age? :)

I think that's my favorite episode, partly for the comedy but mostly because of how brilliant Chihaya's psywar strategy is. He spends that whole episode fucking with Kongō's head by making a point of not fucking with her head when she clearly expects him to. That's like the joke a friend of mine back in the WPI days made, that a masochist's fondest desire is to find a personal sadist, but a master sadist would turn around and not do anything. :)

>(Character design elements reference >facts about the ships in question, such as Yamato's height)

Yamato's design in KanColle is pretty brilliant all the way around, in terms of conveying information about the character and her history. The way she combines intimidating size with graceful lines and a certain elegance of manner, so that she seems simultaneously powerful and gracious, is really well-done, and there are so many little details. The cherry blossoms and the umbrella bring across that yamato nadeshiko thing very clearly, and at the same time she's prominently carrying ammunition, displaying that her arsenal isn't just for show. She's wearing that tight-fitting, somewhat abbreviated outfit, but doing so in a buttoned-up and squared-away manner. That Zulu flag she's wearing as an armband is three chained historical references in one. A lot of work went into that design, which stands to reason when you figure they had to know she was going to be, pardon the expression, a flagship character.

>Some designs, like the DesDiv6 girls, aren't >as clever, I don't think, but they're not -bad- by any means. Just not >as inspired.

Well, with 169 destroyers to dress, the artists can possibly be forgiven for not going hog-wild with most of them. Besides, the Special Type look is classic, which fits with their whole "definitive destroyer type of the era" thing. (Ties back to the "Fubuki is vanilla because vanilla is awesome" argument. :)

(For my taste, the outstanding destroyer costume in the game is the first "flight" of the Kagerō class (Kagerō, Shiranui, Kuroshio). To paraphrase the "Intergalactic" outro, "With the shorts? Tellin' you." :)

17. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #16

My own favorite in the Destroyers of Kancolle is probably the Shiratsuyus. Their initial designs are kind of uniform, but every time one of them goes Kai 2 it's a tribute to old adventures and associated vessels.

Kawakaze's outfit is bananas.

If there is one problem I have with the Fubukis it's that there is a point where you have 'Fubuki with a braid' or 'Tomboy Fubuki' or 'Scowling Fubuki.' Somehow Murakumo evaded this fate.

18. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #17

>My own favorite in the Destroyers of Kancolle is probably the >Shiratsuyus. Their initial designs are kind of uniform, but every time >one of them goes Kai 2 it's a tribute to old adventures and associated >vessels. >>Kawakaze's outfit is bananas.

They do tend to get more elaborate as time goes on, presumably because the game has more money to spend on the artwork.

(That said, for a second I thought you said "Kamikaze", and while the Meiji schoolgirl look is fetching, I wouldn't classify it as "bananas". Kawakaze K2, though, definitely over the top. Auditioning for a starring role in Pirates of the Solomon Sea. :)

>If there is one problem I have with the Fubukis it's that there is a >point where you have 'Fubuki with a braid' or 'Tomboy Fubuki' or >'Scowling Fubuki.' Somehow Murakumo evaded this fate.

Murakumo's by a different artist, one who evidently thought he was designing the personification of a space cruiser. :)

Anyway, I don't mind the uniformity of the Fubuki class so much. They are, after all, based on a mass-produced class of essentially identical ships.

20. "RE: This Scene's Not In the Actual Thing"In response to message #16

>Amusingly enough (and I'm sure I've said this before), Takao is >probably the least daft member of the Fog we see in the anime. >Hyūga is the crazy cat lady, Iona has that flat affect going on, her >sisters' are even flatter, Haruna has a codependent relationship with >a garment, Kirishima was pretty much a raving lunatic before>she became a stuffed toy, and Kongō has the mother of all psychotic >episodes. Compared to all of that, Takao is pretty much normal. >She's just horny and confused, and really, who isn't at that age? :)

The manga's been hinting for awhile at what they finally admitted in the most recent chapter: Most of the Fog ships have no experience whatsoever with emotions and so don't know how to deal. Hence why they run the board from the creepy twins (I-400 & I-402) to the Iona-sexual (Hyuuga) to the "Red Queen" (Kongō). A little eccentricity when you've gone from being an unfeeling machine to a fully-realized sentient being is to be expected. Iona just seems the most well-balanced because she's constantly around humans who aren't utter dickheads or acting under their own agenda.

>I think that's my favorite episode, partly for the comedy but mostly >because of how brilliant Chihaya's psywar strategy is. He spends that >whole episode fucking with Kongō's head by making a point of not >fucking with her head when she clearly expects him to. That's like >the joke a friend of mine back in the WPI days made, that a >masochist's fondest desire is to find a personal sadist, but a >master sadist would turn around and not do anything. :)

Masochist: "Hurt me!"Sadist: "No."

--------------------------CdrMike, Overwatch Reject

"You know, the world could always use more heroes." - Tracer, Overwatch